The brain encodes information in the intervals between the spikes which characterize neural firing events. Therefore it is relevant to study, in a timing code, how many spikes are necessary for reliably encoding input signals. We analyze the transmission of information, the reliability of signal detection, and the coding strategy for the case of central spiking neurons.

• Received 28 April 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.79.4697